Pressure detection device for a blowgun

ABSTRACT

A pressure detection device for a blowgun has a housing and a pressure-sensing unit. The pressure-sensing unit has a pressure sensor integrated circuit (IC) aligned with a pressure-sensing opening of the housing to detect air pressure inside the blowgun and outputting a voltage signal corresponding to the detected air pressure, a micro-controller unit (MCU) converting the voltage signal into a detected datum, and performing calibration and calculation with the detected datum to generate a blow-off pressure value displayed on a display screen, and a power-saving control circuit activating power supply to the pressure sensor IC and the MCU and shutting down power supply thereto when users are done with blowgun shooting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pressure detection device and, moreparticularly, to a pressure detection device mounted on a blowgun todetect an air pressure inside the blowgun when the blowgun is blown by auser.

2. Description of the Related Art

Instead of being a weapon, blowguns have been used more for sport orgames during when the targets are no longer human or animals, but dartswith scores thereon. As the blowguns are used in a distance to thetargets, a high score in blowgun shooting usually depends on aimingskill and blow-off force.

Speaking of the blow-off force, users of blowguns can only adjust theblow-off force by mouth-blowing the blowguns in between a powerful wayand a gentle way to generate different air pressure inside the blowguns.However, after numerous tries, users of conventional blowguns mayfinally find a desired blow-off force adequate for blowgun shooting. Theprocess of finding a desired blow-off force pushing a tip inside ablowgun to a dart, which involves coordination of mouth and lungpertaining to human sensory perception that is hard to be memorized andrecorded, may need to be repeated again when users that are out ofpractice for a while do the blowgun shooting again or when the dart ismoved from an original place to somewhere else, and thus makes the usersfrustrated and reluctant to play again. As a result, a solution thataccurately gets the hold of the blow-off force or the air pressureinside the blowguns when doing the blowgun shooting is required totackle the issue of the unscientific process of finding a desiredblow-off force for conventional blowguns.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a pressure detectiondevice for a blowgun capable of providing accurate indication of theblow-off force upon the blowgun shooting.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the pressure detection device for ablowgun has a housing and a pressure-sensing unit.

The housing is adapted to mount around a blowgun and has a cylindricalchannel, a sensor compartment and a pressure-sensing opening.

The cylindrical channel is longitudinally formed through an upperportion of the housing.

The sensor compartment is formed inside a portion of the housing locatedunder the cylindrical channel, and has a chamber defined therein.

The pressure-sensing opening is formed through a top wall of the sensorcompartment and communicates with the chamber inside the sensorcompartment.

The pressure-sensing unit is mounted in the chamber of the sensorcompartment and has a pressure sensor integrated circuit (IC), amicrocontroller unit (MCU), a display screen, a battery, a directcurrent (DC) voltage boost IC and a power saving control circuit.

The pressure sensor IC is mounted on the pressure-sensing unit and isaligned with the pressure-sensing opening of the housing to detect anair pressure flow input generated inside the blowgun and flowing throughthe pressure-sensing opening upon a blowgun shooting, and outputs avoltage signal corresponding to the detected air pressure flow input.

The MCU is mounted on the pressure-sensing unit, is connected to thepressure sensor IC, converts the voltage signal received from thepressure sensor IC into a detected datum through an analog-to-digitalconversion, and is built in with a procedure for performing calibrationand calculation with the detected datum to generate a blow-off pressurevalue.

The display screen is connected to the MCU and serves to display theblow-off pressure value received from the MCU.

The battery serves to provide DC power to the pressure sensor IC, theMCU and the display screen.

The DC voltage boost IC is connected to the pressure sensor IC, the MCU,the display screen and the battery to receive the DC power from thebattery and to boost the DC power to supply an operating power to thepressure sensor IC and the MCU for operation.

The power-saving control circuit is connected to the MCU and the DCvoltage boost IC. The pressure-sensing unit further has a switchconnected to the MCU. When the switch is pressed for the first time, thepower-saving control circuit activates the DC voltage boost IC to supplya boosted voltage to the pressure sensor IC and the MCU. After the MCUstarts operating, the MCU controls the DC voltage boost IC in a state ofcontinuously supplying the boosted voltage through the power-savingcontrol circuit. When the switch is pressed for over several seconds,the MCU then instructs the power-saving control circuit to shut down thepower supplied from the battery.

Given the foregoing pressure detection device, the pressure-sensing unitcan measure an exact air pressure inside a blowgun upon each blowgunshooting for users to see and evaluate how to adjust the blow-off forcein a next blowgun shooting. The air pressure values recorded indifferent blowgun shooting condition can be also stored as historicalinformation to remind users in shooting under similar conditions.Accordingly, the pressure detection device enable the blowgun shootingto become easy, scientific and entertaining.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blowgun kit in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of a pressure detectiondevice of the blowgun kit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the pressure detection device inFIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the pressure detection device in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a blowgun kit in accordance with the presentinvention is shown. In addition to a conventional portion, such as ablowgun 10 and a dart (not shown), the blowgun kit further has apressure detection device 30 mounted around a tubular portion of theblowgun 10. The blowgun 10 resembles a conventional blowgun, but has anair aperture 11 formed through a lower wall portion of the tubularportion of the blowgun 10.

With reference to FIG. 2, the pressure detection device 30 has a housing31 and a pressure-sensing unit 35. The housing 31 is mounted around theblowgun 10, and has a cylindrical channel 32, a sensor compartment 33, apressure-sensing opening 34

The cylindrical channel 32 is longitudinally formed through an upperportion of the housing 31. The sensor compartment 33 is formed inside aportion of the housing 31 located under the cylindrical channel 32, andhas a chamber 36 defined therein. The pressure-sensing opening 34 isformed through a top wall of the sensor compartment 33 and communicateswith the chamber 36 inside the sensor compartment 33. Thepressure-sensing unit 35 is mounted in the chamber 36 of the sensorcompartment 33.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressure-sensing unit 35 takes theform of a circuit board, and has a pressure sensor IC (integratedcircuit) 351, an MCU (Micro-controller Unit) 352, a display screen 353,a battery 354, a DC (Direct Current) voltage boost IC 355 and apower-saving control circuit 356.

The pressure sensor IC 351 is mounted on the pressure-sensing unit 35and is aligned with and in contact with the pressure-sensing opening 34to detect an air pressure flow input generated inside the blowgun 10 andflowing through the pressure-sensing opening 34 upon a blowgun shooting,and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the detected air pressureflow input.

The MCU 352 is mounted on the pressure-sensing unit 35, is connected tothe pressure sensor IC 351, converts the voltage signal received fromthe pressure sensor IC 351 into a detected datum through ananalog-to-digital conversion, and is built in with a procedure forperforming calibration and calculation with the detected datum togenerate a blow-off pressure value. The MCU 352 further has anon-volatile memory, such as EEPROM (Electrically Erasable ProgrammableRead Only Memory) and the like, to store multiple blow-off pressurevalues detected and calculated at different time points as historicalinformation for user's references.

The display screen 353 is connected to the MCU 352, may be an LED(Light-emitting diode) display screen or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)display screen, and serves to display the blow-off pressure valuereceived from the MCU 352.

The battery 354 serves to provide DC power to the pressure sensor IC351, the MCU 352 and the display screen 353, and may be a 1.5V drybattery or a 3V button cell battery.

The DC voltage boost IC 355 is connected to the pressure sensor IC 351,the MCU 352, the display screen 353 and the battery 354 to receive theDC power from the battery 354 and to boost the DC power to 5V as anoperating power supplied to the pressure sensor IC 351 and the MCU 352for operation.

The power-saving control circuit 356 is connected to the MCU 352 and theDC voltage boost IC 355. The pressure-sensing unit 35 further has aswitch SW1 connected to the MCU 352. When the switch SW1 is pressed forthe first time, the power-saving control circuit 356 activates the DCvoltage boost IC 355 to supply 5V to the pressure sensor IC 351 and theMCU 352. After the MCU 352 starts operating, the MCU 352 controls the DCvoltage boost IC 355 in a state of continuously supplying 5V through thepower-saving control circuit 356. When the switch SW1 is pressed to lastfor over several seconds, the MCU 352 then instructs the power-savingcontrol circuit 356 to shut down the power supplied from the battery 354for the purpose of saving the power of the battery 354.

When the blowgun 10 is operated, the switch SW1 is pressed to startsupplying the power required for operation of the MCU 352 and thepressure sensor IC 355. After the tip of the blowgun 10 is blown off,the pressure sensor IC 355 detects an air pressure inside the blowgun 10and an air pressure value is displayed on the display screen 353. It isup to user's choice to store the air pressure value in the non-volatilememory of the MCU 352 for users to keep track of the air pressure valuesunder different shooting conditions. When users are done with theblowgun shooting, the switch SW1 can be pressed for several seconds andthe MCU 352 will instruct the power-saving control circuit 356 to shutdown the power of the blowgun 10.

In sum, given the pressure detection device 30, users can be aware ofthe blow-off force generated by mouth blowing the blowgun in an exactmanner, and thus know how to adjust the blow-off force in considerationof actual result of blowgun shooting, thereby making the blowgunshooting become easier and more entertaining.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and function of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pressure detection device for a blowgun,comprising: a housing adapted to mount around a blowgun and having: acylindrical channel longitudinally formed through an upper portion ofthe housing; a sensor compartment formed inside a portion of the housinglocated under the cylindrical channel, and having a chamber definedtherein; and a pressure-sensing opening formed through a top wall of thesensor compartment and communicating with the chamber inside the sensorcompartment; and a pressure-sensing unit mounted in the chamber of thesensor compartment and having: a pressure sensor integrated circuit (IC)mounted on the pressure-sensing unit and aligned with thepressure-sensing opening of the housing to detect an air pressure flowinput generated inside the blowgun and flowing through thepressure-sensing opening upon a blowgun shooting, and outputting avoltage signal corresponding to the detected air pressure flow input; amicro-controller unit (MCU) mounted on the pressure-sensing unit,connected to the pressure sensor IC, converting the voltage signalreceived from the pressure sensor IC into a detected datum through ananalog-to-digital conversion, and built in with a procedure forperforming calibration and calculation with the detected datum togenerate a blow-off pressure value; a display screen connected to theMCU and serving to display the blow-off pressure value received from theMCU; a battery serving to provide DC power to the pressure sensor IC,the MCU and the display screen; a direct current (DC) voltage boost ICconnected to the pressure sensor IC, the MCU, the display screen and thebattery to receive the DC power from the battery and to boost the DCpower to supply an operating power to the pressure sensor IC and the MCUfor operation; and a power-saving control circuit connected to the MCUand the DC voltage boost IC, wherein the pressure-sensing unit furtherhas a switch connected to the MCU, when the switch is pressed for thefirst time, the power-saving control circuit activates the DC voltageboost IC to supply a boosted voltage to the pressure sensor IC and theMCU, after the MCU starts operating, the MCU controls the DC voltageboost IC in a state of continuously supplying the boosted voltagethrough the power-saving control circuit, and when the switch is pressedfor over several seconds, the MCU then instructs the power-savingcontrol circuit to shut down the power supplied from the battery.
 2. Thepressure detection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MCU has anon-volatile memory to store multiple blow-off pressure values detectedand calculated at different time points as historical information foruser's references.
 3. The pressure detection device as claimed in claim2, wherein the non-volatile memory of the MCU is electronically erasableprogrammable read only memory (EEPROM).
 4. The pressure detection deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein the display screen is a light-emittingdiode (LED) display screen or a liquid crystal display (LCD) displayscreen.
 5. The pressure detection device as claimed in claim 2, whereinthe display screen is an LED display screen or an LCD display screen. 6.The pressure detection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the displayscreen is an LED display screen or an LCD display screen.
 7. Thepressure detection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery isa 1.5V dry battery or a 3V button cell battery.
 8. The pressuredetection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the battery is a 1.5Vdry battery or a 3V button cell battery.
 9. The pressure detectiondevice as claimed in claim 3, wherein the battery is a 1.5V dry batteryor a 3V button cell battery.
 10. The pressure detection device asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the battery is a 1.5V dry battery or a 3Vbutton cell battery.
 11. The pressure detection device as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the battery is a 1.5V dry battery or a 3V button cellbattery.
 12. The pressure detection device as claimed in claim 6,wherein the battery is a 1.5V dry battery or a 3V button cell battery.